Electric-hose coupling.



No. 696,702. Patented Apr. l, |902.

G. G. WEITZ. 4

ELECTRIC HUSE CUUPLING.

(Application filed Jan. 24, 1902) (Nu Model.)

il w UNITED STATES PATENT EEicE.

GEORGE G. VVEITZ, OF MEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, FRANKLIN K. YOUNG AND MICHAEL P. CURRAN, TRUSTEES, OF BOSTON,

MASSACHUSETTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 696,702, dated April 1, 1902.

Application filed January 24, 1902. Serial No. 91,128. (No model.)

To all inkom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE G. WEITz, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric- Hose Couplings, of which the following'is a specification.

This invention relates to an electric hoseio signaling system, and has for its object an improved couplingfor connecting one section of hose with another section or for connecting the hose either with the engine-coupling or with the nozzle in such manner as to make electrical contact.

The invention will now be fully described by reference to the accompanying drawings and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the claims at the close of zo this specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a line of hose, partly broken away, and connected couplings, partly in section, illustrating the invention. Fig. 2 is a section on z5 line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings, 1 represents a fire-engine; 2, the battery; 3, the groundwire; 4, the positive wire, and 5 the enginecoupling.

6 represents a section of hose having on one end a female coupling 7 embodying my invention, which connects the hose with the male end of the engine-coupling 5, and having on the other end a male coupling 8,which 3 5 connects the hose with the female thread on the nozzle 10.

Within the circuit at the engine, as at 11 is a bell 18, which is operated by a circuitcloser at the nozzle end of the-line.V Set in- 4o side the outer end of the male coupling 5 is an insulating-ring 13, which butts up against the shoulder 14 inside the shell 15 and Ventends out to the end of the shell. Set inside the outer end of insulating-ring 13 isa contact-ring 16, so fitted that when the parts are assembled the inside of thecoupling will furnish a smooth waterway. The contact-ring 16 is formed with a flange 17 ,which laps onto the end of insulating-ring 13, but not extending entirely over it, as the ring 16 must not contact with shell 15. The wire 4 is connected with contact-ring 16 and leads back through an insulated passage in the coupling 5 to the bell 18.

The female hose-coupling 7 is formed with la swivel 19, internally threaded to connect it 'with the male coupling.

rubber, against which the end of the hose butts,said gasket serving not only as a gasket, but as an insulator for the met-al expansionring 27, which is normally employed to secure the hose to the shell 20.

On the outer ends of shell 20, insulatingring 22, and contact-ring 23, which together form a shoulder within the swivel 19, rests a gasket 28, of non-conducting material, preferably rubber.

Projecting longitudinally outward from the contact-ring 23 are one or more contact-fingers 29,-preferably three in number and preferably being elastic. Wire 30, which is to make electrical connection with wire 4, passes through the gasket 26, iiange 25, and insulating-ring 22 and is electrically connected with the contact-ring 23, the wire being insulated in its passage to said contact-ring either by the usual insulating-wrapping or preferably also for additional security an insulating-tube 31 being provided. When the female coupling 7 is connected with the male coupling, the :fingers 29 will make contact with the ring 16 in the end of the male coupling, thus making electrical connection between the wire 5 and the wire 30. After the wire 30 passes through the flange 25 it preferably is laid around in a groove in said flange and then through a hole in the gasket 26, and thence on through the hose 6 to the male coupling at ,the other end. The gasket clamps the Wire to its seat in the flange, so as to prevent the Wire from being pulled away fromthe contact-ring 23, which might accidentally occur if the wire were carried directly back Without the Winding.

Vthat I claim isl. Afemale member of a coupling for electric hose having a shell with an interior flange, an insulating-ring Within said shell and butting against the flange of said shell, a contactring set in said insulating-ring and insulated thereby from the shell, said contact-ring having one or more contact-fingers projecting longitudinally therefrom, substantially as described.

2. A female member of a coupling for electric hose havingashell with an interior flange, a flanged insulating-ring Within said shell and butting against the flange of said shell, a contact-ring within the mouth of said in- .snlating-ring and butting against the flange thereof, and insulated from said shell, said con tact-ring having one or more contact-fingers projecting longitudinally outward therefrom, the inner periphery of the contact-ring, insulating-ring and said shell-flange forming a flush waterway, and a Wire electrically connected with said contact-ring and an insulated passage for said Wire through the flange of the shell to the hose, substantially as described.

3. A female member of a coupling for electric hose havinga shell with an interior flange,` a flanged insulating-ring butting against said flange, a contact-ring in the mouth of said insulating-ring butting against the flange thereof which insulates it from the shell, an insulating-gasket against the outer ends of the contact-ring and the insulating-ring, contact-fingers projecting outward from said contact-ring and a Wire electrically connected with said contact-rin g and leading rearwardly therefrom through the flange of theshell from which it is insulated and through the hose, substantially as described.

4t. A female member of a coupling for electric hose having a shell with an interior flange, a flanged insulating-ring butting against said flange, a contact-ring in the mouth of said insulating-ring butting against the flange thereof and insulated thereby from the shell, an insulating-gasket against the outer ends of the contact-ring and the insulating-ring, contact-fingers projecting from said contactring, a wire leading from said contact-ring rearwardly through the flange of the shell and coiled around in a seat in said flange, and insulated from said flange, and a gasket on the rear face of said flange which holds the Wire on its seat, the Wire leading from' the coil through the said gasket and back through the hose, substantially as described.

5. A female member of a coupling for electric hose having a shell With an interior flange, a flanged insulating-ring against said flange, a contact-ring in the mouth of said insulatingring against the flange thereof and insulated from said shell, an insulating-gasket against the outer ends of said contact-ring, contactfingers projecting from said contact-ring, a wire connected with said contact-ring and insulated from the shell and leading through the hose, in combination with a male member having a contact-ring With Which a Wire is connected, said Wire and contact-ring being insulated from the body of the shell, said contact-ring making contact with the fingers on the contact-ring of the female coupling when the two members are coupled, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig- 

